Recommend a lathe with 3” spindle hole?

[m-lud]

If I recall, that is a English made lathe. I bet Limy knows something about them.

The opening price is close to scrap value. It does appear to have some good life left in it and is pretty well equipped. Thats guessing it at #12,000. It may not be that heavy

Bidders may snipe bid at the auctions end, or not

 

[gustafson]

That lathe will not fit inside of a 12' x4' footprint.

To do what he wanted he really needs a 20'x4' footprint,[8 foot clear to the left of machine] so what is a few feet among friends?

[edit] and actually occurs to be that since he could load the bar from the front of the chuck with this lathe, rather than from the drive end, it might be more space efficient than a shorter bed lathe. Unless he had pondered removing the [100 pound] tailstock every time

 

[bsg]

I’m looking for a lathe with a 3” spindle hole that will fit in a 12’ x 4’ footprint. Any suggestions on a good model lathe to look for that would fit my space?

I don't know if anyone recommended a 19" Leblond lathe yet?
The 19" machines have a 3 1/16 spindle bore and it will probably fit your 12' x 4' space requirements as well?

http://vintagemachinery.org/pubs/2102/23017.pdf

The machines are a little on the light side for the size of the swing, still not a bad machine!

Another machine to look for would be a Summit Lathe, these had larger bores for the size of the machines.....used one in the last shop I worked at, not a big heavy American made machine, but still plenty capable!

Manual Lathes For Sale | Summit Machine Tool

Kevin

 

[Leowren]

Thanks yes the Leblond is actually the lathe that got me started thinking about this as it fits my space and has a large spindle hole. There is a regal 19x54 servo shift near me that looks decent

 

[Garwood]

Thanks yes the Leblond is actually the lathe that got me started thinking about this as it fits my space and has a large spindle hole. There is a regal 19x54 servo shift near me that looks decent

And how are you planning to support and align the outboard end of the 3" shaft if you run it through the chuck?

When you align the shaft you have to align it in 2 planes, not just one. You would do that by indicating in both ends of a fairly straight shaft. If the other end of your shaft is hanging 5 feet out in space past the outboard end of the spindle how do you do that?

It's possible, but it sure sounds like a mess I'd want to avoid if I could.

 

[Leowren]

I’m not planning on it- seems to me I just need a bigger lathe for those jobs but I don’t have the room right now. If I did, that Broadbent lathe looks like it might do the trick.

 

[newtonsapple]

I’m not planning on it- seems to me I just need a bigger lathe for those jobs but I don’t have the room right now. If I did, that Broadbent lathe looks like it might do the trick.

Curious, if you don't have the room for a bigger lathe, where is the bar sticking to the left going to go? Is it a "I can only do this with the door open" sort of situation?

 

[4GSR]

Curious, if you don't have the room for a bigger lathe, where is the bar sticking to the left going to go? Is it a "I can only do this with the door open" sort of situation?

I have taken a hole saw and punched a hole in the wall to pass the bar stock thru. Plumbing cleanout with lid works perfect to plug the opening afterwards and future needs.

 

[bsg]

Thanks yes the Leblond is actually the lathe that got me started thinking about this as it fits my space and has a large spindle hole. There is a regal 19x54 servo shift near me that looks decent

If you find a Leblond lathe, confirm the S.N. Is at least a 11c, 1977-78 or newer to get the larger spindle hole………

Kevin

 

[m-lud]

A little of the topic here but the Gabent Lathe on ebay didn't sell. If a guy needs an older large lathe it's a buyers market.

Leowren:
How are the Leblond lathe's in your desired size priced ?
I hope you find what you need and can work out the length issues.

 

[newtonsapple]

A little of the topic here but the Gabent Lathe on ebay didn't sell. If a guy needs an older large lathe it's a buyers market.

Leowren:
How are the Leblond lathe's in your desired size priced ?
I hope you find what you need and can work out the length issues.

Definitely a buyers market for old heavy equipment. The high scrap prices are the primary competition.

 

[Garwood]

I have kinda noticed the opposite.

It sure seems to me as though there's a huge demand and massively inflated prices for desirable manual machines. Things like modern era 4" HBM's and 20x120 manual lathes are sky high or unobtanium right now.

I think the machines that hobby folks glom onto have lost some of their pandemic inflated value, but real money earning machines that can counteract supply chain setbacks are worth more than ever right now.

I watch the values of things like work trucks, dump trucks, forklifts and machine tools pretty close. I have noticed less desirable stuff selling for more realistic prices while premium/desirable stuff is still selling for top dollar.

A used 8k-10k lb capacity telehandler is still a $35k- $50k purchase around here. An older used 4k lb forklift is down around $2500 where it should be while anything that can lift 4 tons and up is still above $1/lb lifting capacity and selling instantly. An old beat up morse taper spindle 4" Giddings and Lewis is a $3500 HBM whereas a 70's HBM with rotary axis and digitals is a $35,000 machine.

I think the pandemic brought a lot of value to junk somehow that should never have been so valuable. That is going away quickly, but the values for machines with strong earning potential are tied to inflation and steadily rising.

 

[ratbldr427]

Jet sold some 14"-16" lathes with 3" spindles.I have seen that same lathe with several different names. Our Clausing-Cholcester 17x70 has a 3"+ hole,they made shorter ones, not sure if the 15" had the large hole.

A plastic bushing will stabilise the end until you indicate and get a center in and used with a steady rest it's not a big deal, have had to do it many times. Start with the bar close to the chuck to center drill. Then move the bar out. The closer you can grab it to center it will be better balanced and not stress the chuck.
You are not going to be going very fast anyway. Funny how the experts say that it is a hobbiest pipe dream and question if they have ever tried it. Apparently they haven't tried it either.

 

[Doozer]

I have a 17" Round Head Colchester lathe.
It has a 3" spindle hole.
Nice lathe, but not sure if I would recommend it.
They had a design problem with the power feed lever
in the apron. It wears out the bushings
very fast because the design puts them in a bind.
Mine had clapped out bronze bushings what were almost
completely worn through. I think the feed shaft
used to run right in the iron apron and selector
rocker box iron castings. I believe someone must
have painstakingly bored out and fitted the bronze
bushings, and they promptly wore out in short order.
I modified my apron and feed selector rocker box
to fully support it from the side thrust of the
feed worm gear. Took a lot of hours of thinking
and machining parts to re-engineer it.
So the 17" Colchester might fit the bill, but beware
of the power feed apron issues.
I think the 17" square heads also came with 3"
spindles, don't know.

---Doozer

 

[ratbldr427]

We have a 84 17x80 square head has the 3" hole. I have used it for 30 years. Not a super duty but a very nice machine. There have been clone made of that design sold under different names, don't know about the quality.

A new 17" Colchester is about 30k. I think they are VFD's. Don't know if Colchester still makes the all gear head machines but the clones of the earlier ones are still available.

 

[gustafson]

Summit Large Bore Lathe For Sale $5,500 obo
linked so the OP might see this

 

[nobrakese28]

Just saw this thread, I know it's old. But my 17" Harrison has a 3-1/16" spindle bore with a D1-8 spindle. 1500rpm top speed, gap bed, 26" with bed removed.